Himanshu

I just got a quote from Lancaster re Escort (agreed value is extra and subject to them appraising it). In the past this has cost me nearly 30% of the quote in tooing ad froing. Ell there car Insurance has rocketed this year by nealry 33% well I am off to Footman James and no quibble agreed valuation. I have reduction on my other two modern cars one a VW Golf from £750 to £333, Toyota down from £780 to £280. Yet Lancaster insurance has gone up! I only do 700 miles a year in it! Fottman offers that you can by your car back in the even of a total loss with no % (if you pay £15),

I did the job myself with the aid of my uncle who is a Ford head tech but he is quite old so could only help in some places where his health limitations did not impact him. Sorry for the tardy resonse but have been in hospital with Long Covid.

I got a Calero Black mast, from eBay, it is slightly shorter than I would like but to my understanding Hirchmann is the best one. It costs about £80.

By the way an agreed value for my car which has only covered 30K from new, FSH, all recipts, new roof, and as virtually new, garaged and only cover 700 miles a year was valued with Footman James for £12, 500 last year, Lancaster valued it at £10K, while it is an appreciating in value. A new roof I got quotes from £1400, to £700. in vinyl. They do not do Mohair in white and Mohair is the way to go. All the rubbers I have had as I bought nearly everything new from Ford as spares, Engine, gearbox, all the parts, interior trim. IMy dashboard has no cracke, as it has sat in the garage mainly. The other thing to watch out is for the fule pump bracket and the inner wing to from slam panle rust, which thankfully my car has not got. So that might give you an indication or way to go price. But go with a Insurance company of repute and from my experience that is not Lancaster! I picked up a second one of these cars two years ago for £2500, but I had a lot of body work to do. All the rubbers had perished. but the underneath was solid, no rust at all, but new roof needed, and an interior which thankfully I had a new second hand one. That I am building to concourse standard. Valued with aggreed value with Hiscox at £12500. Unforunately the guy before me fitted a power roof which was an after fit.

What make is the clutch and was it genuine Ford parts cable, and ratchet/ pawl assembly you used? Check the fork arm at the gear box housing, I just replaced my cluthc with a LUK, and original Ford cable, and ratchet and Pawl, but found it was an internal gearbox issue. Luckily I swapped the gearbox (as I had a NOS gearbox and all is fine now! But oringinally I used Q&H and it was so poor. I lost out on the labour Q&H after a year refunded me with the money but it had done damage to the gearbox.

What ever you do dont go with Lancaster Classic Car Insurance, I am in dispute with thier Agreed value. I sent in tons of photos, and even removed my side skirts, to show there is no rust in the wheel arches. They still did dnot honour what I wanted. Due to thier tardy reponse they said for 6 weeks insurance they would refund me £18 when I had paid £160 for the whole year. Got me over a barrel. I would strongly urge anyone to stay clear of this dispicable company read thier Google reviews. Go with another compny. I will never use this shoddy outfit again! It is going to cost me £180 in just the pop rivets plus labour to put the body kit back on my All White I SE. 1985. I will stick to Footman James in future. There is no messing about with them. I know nealry all the classic car events ae sponsored by Lancaster so the Administartors may not like this. But read the Google reviews of Lancaster Insurance. I hope the administrators dont remove this post as it meant to be the passionate owners and like minded individuals who do not hide behine PLCs and legaleas or legal fiction and those who corporations who have limited public liability and Indusrance and Bankers behind them!

What ever you do dont go with Lancaster Classic Car Insurance, I am in dispute with thier Agreed value. I sent in tons of photos, and even removed my side skirts, to show there is no rust in the wheel arches. They still di not honour waht I wanted. Due to thier tardy reponse they said for 6 weeks insurance they would refund me £18 when I had paid £160 for the whole year. Got me over a barrel. I would strongly urge anyone to stay clear of this dispicable company read thier Google reviews. Go with another compny. I will never use this shoddy outfit again!

I see Fuzz Townsend from the Car SOS show use Aldrigde Trimmers in the Brimingham area. Last year they quoted me over £1000 for supply and fit Mohair. I contacted Ed China as to who they use as Mr China may fit the odd roof for TV airing but they must get the fabric from somewhere, but nerver got back to me.

New Roofs please!

I think Edd China and he is a Master mechanic on an easier car stated it would be better somone to do it! If you think he a has a well equipped garage, Teng Tools who sponser him provide the tools. He then has an Engineering degree, other mechanics who are specialists a resource of TV and fame where people bend over backwards to get on TV. It is not impossible but as he sadi it is not for the faint hearted!

There is an NGK iridium upgrade. I think it is 7exi.

The white vinyl is not the best. I had a sample from Car Hoods Northern which lay in the drawer and not exposed to any enviromental pollutants or cleaning and washing and it has gone from white to the likes of 70 year old who loves curry, laden with turmeric nicotine and red wine, teeth enamel already. I know white mohair is not available anywear. For my white 85 cabby All White -I 750 S.E I am going to place a burgudy mohair. Aldridge trimmers is just over £1000 for outer skin and a bloke in Nottingham wants £550. they say it will take all day so you may want to factor into the price a hotel stay, travel to and from. The trouble is no one has uploded any pics of how before and after. I have seen several hoods which have been horrendous, by Soft Tops, Car Hood Northern, and some have simply not even got back to me. I even contacted Autoglymm guy at various car shows, and the geezer said to me why are you wasting your money on a Ford Escort Hair dressers car, just throw petrol on it and set it a light. When you have a high end Marque come and talk to me. Hence I will never buy Autoglym again.

These are notorious for play hence why I contacted Edd China, and Fuzz townsend, needless to say after several emails they did not even have the coutesy to respond. It makes me think these shows are just shams.

Do be aware that Borg and Beck who were OEM now just pack item to the highest bidder. Just try to source a LUK clutch that is difficult. Ford simply just dont want to know, I dont know why they have a Heritage Center as they couldnt give a monkies about their customers.